Judge dismisses White’s guilty plea after hearing

WILLIAMSON — A judge has tossed out the guilty plea on drug charges in the case of a central figure in the federal corruption investigation in Mingo County.

Mingo Circuit Judge John Cummings vacated the plea by George White at a hearing Friday.

The charges were not dismissed and a date was to be set to arraign White again.

White had argued his plea should be vacated because he was deprived of his right to choose his attorney. The special prosecutor in the case didn’t oppose White’s motion.

Former Mingo County prosecutor Michael Sparks has pleaded guilty to depriving White of his constitutional rights. Former Mingo Circuit Judge Michael Thornsbury also has pleaded guilty to conspiring to deprive White of his rights.